Dog Care

Senior Dog Solutions: How to Communicate With a Deaf Pet

- Provided by VetStreet.com

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One of the greatest challenges for an aging dog is hearing loss. Just because your pet may be losing his hearing, however, doesn’t mean he can’t continue to be a fully functioning member of your household. It simply takes a little creativity and training to bridge the communication gap.

Where to Start

If you notice hearing loss in your pet, the first place to go is to your veterinarian. Your dog’s change in hearing may simply be age-related, but there are a number of possible causes, including ear infections or a foreign body or growth in the ear, which need to be addressed by a veterinarian. Your veterinarian can rule out specific issues, and in some cases can treat, and even reverse, the loss.

However, your dog’s hearing loss may be permanent, and this will call for a change in the way you communicate with your four-legged companion.

Communicating With Your Pet

Giving your dog audible feedback becomes more difficult when your pet has hearing loss, since he won’t be easily able to hear a clicker or your voice. For this reason, you will need to teach your dog a signal, like a hand clap or a thumbs up that means “good dog” or “job well done.” Teach your pet to recognize the “good dog” signal by immediately following it with a reward such as a treat, for example, or another enjoyable activity like being petted, chasing a ball, playing tug or going outside.

It’s also essential that you have a signal to get your dog’s attention, which is called a “look at me” cue. This cue tells your dog to focus his attention in your direction so he can be led to do a behavior on a visual signal. A hearing-impaired dog needs to focus on his handler’s body to pick up signals for what he is being asked to do, whether it be a sit, a down, or a trick.

When you are walking your dog, a gentle, low pull, or a jingle on his leash can be a signal for him to reorient his body to face you. When off leash, a hand wave, a gentle touch on the shoulder or back, or a flashlight or other visual stimulus serves the same purpose. As with any signal, you must teach your pet what the signal means.

At VCA Boston Road Animal Hospital, we’re open 24 hours a day/365 days a year to provide emergency and critical care for your beloved companion. Staffed by specially-trained veterinarians and technicians with direct access to the hospital’s full complement of advanced, state-of-the-art medical equipment and staff of board-certified specialists, our Emergency/Critical Care team is equipped to handle all medical emergencies. For immediate medical care, please transport your pet to our facility or to speak with a member of our emergency team, please call our hospital at (413) 783-0603 any time, day or night – we are ALWAYS available!

For further information about pet medical emergencies, please CLICK HERE.